Clever Charlotte was created not far from the shores of Lake Erie, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. With 3 young daughters between them, Carla and Erin were on the search for sewing patterns for their girls that had a modern, ready to wear feel. Not finding any, they decided to do the next best thing–create the patterns themselves.

Carla

Carla’s sewing interest began as a child, making clothing for herself under the guidance of her mom. Since a sewing degree was not an option at her liberal arts college, Carla graduated college with a degree in geology and worked in the environmental field for 7 years before the birth of her first daughter. Throughout this period she still found time for constant sewing, and produced garments for herself and the occasional paying client. While living in San Francisco she completed an extensive pattern drafting course and other tailoring and couture technique classes from Apparel Arts. Armed with this drafting and sewing knowledge, she moved back home to Cleveland and teamed up with Erin to create Clever Charlotte.

Erin

While Carla has always been an obsessed sewer, Erin put her creative interests largely on hold while pursuing her law degree and first career as an attorney working in DC. Her passion for sewing was rekindled with the birth of her daughter in 2008. Recalling the cute outfits her own mother made her and the countless hours she spent at her mother’s sewing table, watching and learning, Erin warmly associated sewing and overall craftiness with a well-rounded childhood. Funny how nostalgia blocked out the facts that Erin could never cut or sew a straight line, a realization that Erin made the moment she turned on her brand new sewing machine. Not easily deterred, Erin is happy to report that she has now learned to sew straight.